Bristlenose breeding

[Alasse]

I'm gonna give it a go finally.

I've set up the 88litre 2ft tank
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i124/Alasse_au/2ft%20bristlenose%20tank/Bristlenosetank15thNov08.jpg

I do need to get a 100W heater for it before the Noses can move in though. Then i've gotta catch them out of the 5ft, that should be fun i'm sure *LOL* I've got my feelers out for breeding size female common as i've got a few doubt about Nosette, i'm thinking she may actually be a male that just has next to no bristles (LOL)

Nosette and Spike will go in regardless and they may get along better when out of the community tank. When i new female is found, she also will join them.

When the albinos get to breeding size they too will join in.

[Alasse]

I've bought a breeding size female BN which will also go into this tank when i pick her up this week.

She will be named Spikette.

Still havent managed to catch Spike and Nosette *L*...cunning as foxes they are!

[Alasse]

Caught Spike last night...finally. *L* Only took 5 hours of waiting with a baited trap!

So Spike is now in the BN tank, and i picked up Spikette this morning, so fingers crossed!

Nosette will go in the too once i catch the little beastie! (prolly at tank pull down *L*)

[dbl120902]

Why is it difficult to catch them? I mean, I know that fish are difficult to catch, I've seen people try to catch them in the nets before, but are these more difficult for some reason?

[Alasse]

They are difficult because the tank is full of obstacles, my tank is fully planted and has quite a lot of wood and such in it. As soon as i move, they hide, and they are cunning as *LOL* Trying to catch any fish in a fully planted is difficult.

[Alasse]

Well an interesting development lol.

Spike, Spikette & 'Nosette' as i mentioned were all put into the breeding tank...welll.......

I often sit and watch them go about their business...About 1 week ago out pops Nosette, and i notice 2 bristles right on the tip of her nose...hmmmmmmmmm. Yesterday i'm sitting watching and out pops Nosette again, and guess who has now got lots of little bristles on 'her' nose. The she is a he! Thats why Spike and he hated each other *LOL* Talk about a late bloomer. Nosey (as he is now called) is about 8-9cm and only just developing bristles grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Nosey is now back in the 5ft enjoying himself immensly *L*

So now i'm after another female to get back upto a trio. But hopefully Spike and Spikette will get it on in peace now *LOL*

The tank as it is now
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i124/Alasse_au/2ft%20bristlenose%20tank/BNtank22Dec08.jpg

[Alasse]

Checking the tank tonight and what do i spy.......





Eggs!!!!!

[Alasse]

I now have BN fry...soooo tiny lol

They are still in the breeders net in the BN tank, once they get a bit of size i'll move them out into the new (used) 4ft growout tank i bought (not arrived as yet) to grow to selling size. I'm maturing a filter in another tank for the 4ft.

[Alasse]

Fry pic
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i124/Alasse_au/2ft%20bristlenose%20tank/BN3rdJan09.jpg

[S t e p h]

Aww, They Are So Cute!

[Alasse]

All the BN fry are doing really well, some of the first batch have now been doled out around most of my tanks, the rest i'll grow out til around 6-7cm and sell or trade to the lfs.

Not a clear pic, water was cloudy, i took the pics before doing the water change
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i124/Alasse_au/2ft%20bristlenose%20tank/BN8thFeb09.jpg

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i124/Alasse_au/2ft%20bristlenose%20tank/BN8thFeb09d.jpg

2nd batch ~ The ones i missed, still in with Spike and Spikette
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i124/Alasse_au/2ft%20bristlenose%20tank/BN8thFeb09e.jpg

Some of the 1st batch
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i124/Alasse_au/2ft%20bristlenose%20tank/BN8thFeb09a.jpg

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i124/Alasse_au/2ft%20bristlenose%20tank/BN8thFeb09c.jpg

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i124/Alasse_au/2ft%20bristlenose%20tank/BN8thFeb09b.jpg

[Alasse]

Updates

I've bought a male albino bn, he's been joined by my 2 albino girls (hopefully they are girls *L*) in their own tank. They have a little bit of growing to do i think before they will tart spawning though.

I've also bought a stunning fully mature male peppermint BN. Now i just gotta find him a girl or 2 *L* He was expensive, i imagine the girls will be too *eek*

Now i also have my eye on a male orangespot BN male, but havent fully decided wether to add him to the BN crew yet *L*

[Moosley]

That is really cool to see! Your fish are multiplying so rapidly!!! LOL they are soooo addictive!!

I went from 0 fish to working for Maidenhead Aquatics and finding a guy with fish and a desire for more to having 4 tanks at home and 2 at work!

I aquired about 80 Bristlenoses of some species Baryancistrus sp. from a customer who couldnt control their breeding, he started with two and very quickly ended up with about 500+!!

I very quickly chose my two favourites!! A whopper of a male at 12cm not including his bristles (the biggest male was 16cm without bristles!!!) and a female that is about 9cm.

I have named them Barry and Ann (baryancistrus...gettit? lol) and i will take them home tomorrow to go in my Aqua One tank with my two gay discus and two corys, the tank is a poor design and catches the sun for about an hour each day but algae is insane in the tank (can tell water is fine because the discus are great!), cant wait for them to breed and flog the babies back to work for store credit which will save me on frozen foods, marine salt and melafix.

Tank 1- 2x discus, 2 x corys and 2 x ancictrus
Tank 2- 1 x male motoro stingray, 2 x discus, 2 x clown loach + 2 x angels (5ft and v. deep tank)
Tank 3- 1 x female motoro stingray (3ft)
Tank 4- 2 x Yellow Tangs + 1 x Black Volitans Lionfish

At work:

Tank 1- Lost count but about 7 Bosemani Rainbows, 3 Pigeon Blood Rainbows, 6-8 cories, 3 Tri Band Loach, 1 x smallish Fire Eel and 1 x tiny Pearl (aka Australian Jardini) Arrowana named Mr Bigglesworth.

Tank 2- Heavily planted with Aponogeton specie plants and java fern, echinodorus, banana lily (forget proper name) and lilaeopsis. 13 x Cardinal Tetra, 2 x T-Bar Cichlids, 1 x madagascar rainbow, 3 x long finned albino ancistrus, cherry shrimp, pinochio shrimp, amanao plant shrimp and sewellia lineolata aka hillstream loach.

Gone from nothing to a lot!

[Alasse]

Yep they're prolific breeders, but that good *L* I will be doing the same trading back to lfs, but also selling privately. Still room to grow them out is required, pretty easy to stop breeding until you require them to restart, separate them.

I've got MTS (multiple tank syndrome) *LOL* I currently have:

Tank 1 - 9 Angels (soon to go back to 7), 2x Clown loaches, 5 Pakistani loaches, 4 Otos, 3 Cherry barbs, 1 Common BN, 1 Peppermint BN, 3 Cories & Shrimp

Tank 2 - Endlers livebearers & 5 BN

Tank 3 - Common BN (breeding pair)

Tank 4 ~ Albino BN (breeding trio)

Tank 5 ~ BN fry

Tank 6 ~ Betta & 2 BN

Tank 7 ~ Betta & 2 BN

Tank 8 ~ Betta & 2 BN

Tank 9 ~ Fancy goldfish

Tank 10 ~ Tadpoles *L*

[Moosley]

Tempted to try discus? they are amazing and babies fetch good money! live well with angels but do need lower PH of 6 - 7.5 (RO water).

I reckon you'd love discus lol.

You seen long finned ancistrus? they are beautiful but very expensive, £12 for a tiny 2cm baby!!

[Alasse]

No not interested in discus lol. I prefer the angels. And there is much debate on discus living with angels. Angels can carry something that is deadly to discus so i wouldnt be housing them together personally :)

I use rainwater in all my tanks so it should have a low end PH

The peppermint was expensive enough thanx lol Most i've ever spent on 1 fish :D

[Alasse]

UPDATE:

The current common fry have been sold (107) + the new fry still being fanned by Spike (once free swimming), also Nosey will be going with this batch (once i catch the sod!)

All have been traded to a private seller for 2 breeding peppermint BN. I'm so excited and cant wait til i get them!!

[Alasse]

Wel the guy with the peppermints that was gonna swap ended up being a no show *L*, but thats cool, i'll get more for them selling them on myself.

So currently i have approx 250 young BN *L* The 1st batch are very nearly sized ready to sell. Though i am debating trading the 1st lot to the lfs for some longfin common bn, but we'll see.

[Alasse]

Some pics of Spike with the new batch (now moved to the growout tank)
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i124/Alasse_au/2ft%20bristlenose%20tank/Spikebatch-328thFeb08c.jpg

The fry
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i124/Alasse_au/2ft%20bristlenose%20tank/Batch-328thFeb09.jpg

[dbl120902]

Wow, I've never seen that before. That's really neat. Is it okay to say it's "cute"? :)

[Alasse]

*L*..I think they are cute.

Dad looks after them until they are fully free swimming, he fans the eggs and young with his fins to keep the water fresh around them. He doesnt eat during this time, well not that i have seen...Its pretty neat actually

[Alasse]

Spike is currently fanning a new batch!

Romeo is trying to entice the lady into his lair *LOL* Though she may have already visited.

So more new batches coming :)

I still havent sole off any of the first batch, am growing them out to a decent size (currently 4cm+) so that i can get more for them. The money will go towards a new light for the 3ft tank

[Alasse]

Couldn't help myself, i bought 2 young longfin common BN, sex as yet unknown, either will be fine though, though females would be better *L*

[Alasse]

Hopefully today i'll hear back wether i bought a new female common to pair up with Nosey.

Am also on the hunt for some more female albinos

[Alasse]

I got the female common i mentioned in precious post.

Sunday i bought another female common, a massive common male (he is for display) and a female common/albino x (she is very pale but not albino)

The 2ft will be halved with a pair each side, as Spikette will not put up with another female in her territory *L*